Bayern Munich Transfer News: Bayern Reportedly Preparing Offer for Ivan Rakitic

Bayern Munich are reportedly preparing to make an offer for Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic. The Croatia international is also rumoured to be wanted by Premier League duo Liverpool and Arsenal.

A report from El Mundo Deportivo (h/t TalkSport) has said the Bundesliga giants will offer as much as £70 million (€80.4 million) for the veteran playmaker.

Now 30, the former Sevilla and Schalke 04 ace could see his opportunities limited at the Camp Nou. Barca signed Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool in January before agreeing the first option on a deal to acquire Gremio midfielder Arthur for up to £34.6 million (€39.7 million) this summer.

The Blaugrana also still have Sergio Busquets, Paulinho and Denis Suarez as options in the middle. It means Rakitic could soon be overlooked, despite making 39 starts in all competitions this season, during which he's scored four goals and provided as many assists.

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Versatile and dynamic, Barca's No. 4 can still dictate matches from deep but also has the engine and eye for goal to be a force further forward. Those qualities would naturally fit at Bayern, even if Die Roten are at least as well-stocked in midfield as Barca.

The Bundesliga champions have Corentin Tolisso, Sebastian Rudy, Thiago Alcantara and Arturo Vidal in their ranks. Even so, there have been doubts about the future of the Chile international.

In March, TuttoMercatoWeb (h/t Callum Vurley of the Daily Star) reported Vidal is set to leave the Allianz Arena after a deal was agreed to sign Schalke's Leon Goretzka this summer.

Goretzka's imminent arrival makes any move for Rakitic seem like a remote possibility. While the latter is still a gifted player who can influence midfield in a variety of positions, Die Roten have rarely enjoyed midfield riches on the scale at their disposal today.

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There is also the uncertainty of Barca mainstay Andres Iniesta to be factored in. The 33-year-old playmaker is expected to make an announcement soon, with Goal's Ignasi Oliva Gispert believing he will reveal his intention to move to the lucrative Chinese Super League.

Losing Iniesta would leave a void in creativity that Rakitic is skilled enough to help fill. He is still too valuable for Barca to sell, while Bayern don't need another midfielder enough to justify spending £70 million.